Better Late, But Never His Again novel Chapter 68

"Forget it," Julian snapped, his voice thick with irritation. "Come home tonight. I need to seriously teach you how to speak and behave appropriately."

With that, he hung up. Staring at his name fading from her screen, Hazel felt a sudden, sharp sting of disgust.

She slammed the phone facedown on the table and let out a long, ragged exhale.

Outside, the sun was still shining brightly, the cafeteria buzzing with life.

She looked down and mechanically forced down the rest of her meal, though it tasted like ash.

Across town, Julian tossed his phone onto the table, his face dark with frustration.

Evelyn sat across from him, her meal practically untouched. She looked at him with tender, cautious eyes.

"Julian, maybe we should just let it go."

She offered a pained, reluctant smile. "It's not that I absolutely have to go to Apex. It's just... I've never had access to that kind of cutting-edge tech. With those resources, I know my project could make a massive breakthrough."

Julian's expression softened instantly. He reached across the table, covering her hand with his, and gave it a reassuring squeeze. "Don't worry, Evelyn. I promise I'll make this happen for you."

Evelyn looked down, her eyelashes fluttering delicately. "Thank you, Julian. But what about Hazel? She finally got an opportunity like this—she's never going to give it up."

Julian's jaw tightened. "She already got the opportunity to marry me. I won't let her take this from you too."

Evelyn looked up, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. "Just being by your side makes me the happiest person alive, Julian. I don't need anything else."

Julian's heart melted completely. He reached out, pulling her into a protective embrace, resting his chin gently on the top of her head. "If only Hazel were half as understanding as you."

Nestled against his chest, Evelyn's lips curved into a triumphant smile, though her eyes grew freezing cold.

To Julian, Hazel was impossible and insubordinate, yet he still wasn't pushing for a divorce.

Was Hazel really that important to him? She lowered her gaze, her fingers tightly gripping the fabric of his shirt.

Julian didn't notice the dark shift in her demeanor.

His mind was stuck on Hazel's icy tone over the phone, and a knot of annoyance tightened in his chest. She was becoming more rebellious by the day. He needed to sit her down and get her back in line.

...

Hazel packed up her lunch and sat in the cafeteria a while longer before finally heading back.

The afternoon flew by. She ran another diagnostic check on all the lab equipment, filling pages of her notebook with observations.

By the time she clocked out, the sky had already turned a deep, bruised purple.

She walked out of the Apex building and was heading toward the subway when her steps faltered.

A sleek black Rolls-Royce was idling by the curb, and Marcus Thornton was leaning against it.

He was dressed in a perfectly tailored black suit, those upward-slanting eyes watching her, a cryptic, knowing smile playing on his lips.

Marcus leaned against the door, like a predator patiently waiting for its prey.

A delicate blush crept up Evelyn's neck as she looked down and smiled shyly. Julian reached across the table, tenderly tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear.

Hazel watched the scene without a flicker of emotion.

Seeing things like this used to tear her apart. Now, she was just entirely numb to it.

She pulled her gaze away, preparing to follow Marcus to their table.

But Julian looked up and caught sight of her.

The gentle smile instantly vanished from his face. His eyes darted from her to Marcus, and his expression warped into sheer, volatile fury.

He shot out of his chair and practically marched over, his eyes burning with accusation and rage.

"Hazel, what the hell are you doing with him?"

Before Hazel could speak, a smooth, unhurried voice drifted from behind her. "Since when does Mr. Hayes have a problem with my lead researcher joining me for dinner?"

Julian's face tightened. He glared at Hazel, then at Marcus, visibly grinding his teeth.

Evelyn rushed over, latching onto Julian's arm. Her eyes darted between Hazel and Marcus, a flash of dark calculation hiding beneath her sweet facade.

She clung to Julian's arm, her voice sugary and coaxing. "Julian, what's going on?"

Julian instinctively glanced at Evelyn, then snapped back, "Hazel and I are just friends. It's completely normal for friends to check in on each other, isn't it?"